So Long Best Friend

This is my dog Lexus and I had to put him down two weeks ago. He was my best friend in the world. For 9 years Lexus was at my side always and full of life. He developed seizures in May and the vet put him on phenobarbitol to control them. He was doing fine until a couple of weeks ago.

At 10:00 A.M. he had another siezure and usually when they happened he would be back to normal in about half an hour. I thought he was OK, so I gave him a treat and sent him outside. I called the vet and made an appointment for that afternoon. In about 20 minutes I checked on him and he was outside still in seizure. It was the most awful thing I have ever seen.

The seizure had it's grip on him completely. Lex was running at almost full throttle and running into the fence as though he were blind and his eyes were rolling back in his head, his legs were giving out and he would run, then fall down, and then stand and stare. He had hurt himself and I didn't know what to do.

I called the vet and she told me to bring him in immediately. I tried to put his seatbelt harness on so I could strap him in the van and he growled at me. This was not my dog, he had never growled at me or even challenged me in 9 years.

It scared me to death, that my own dog would bite me, I know he was not himself. My son came and we managed to get him into the harness and into the van. It was the longest ride of my life as Lexus was in full blown seizure the whole trip, his convulsions rocking the van. He weighed about 87 pounds and the poor thing was wracked with heavy breathing and foaming at the mouth.

The vet sedated him finally after about two hours of seizures from the time he started to the time we got him to the vet. By this time it was about noon and I left him with the vet to care for.

At around 3:00 I went back to see Lexus and he had just come out of the sedative and he was still in seizure. It was at this time that I decided I didn't want him to suffer through this horrific event again. My kids and I were beside Lexus while the vet administered the drug that would give him release.

I miss Lexus so much, he was such a great dog. I hope that none of you ever have to go through this with your dog or any pet for that matter. I know I did the right thing for Lexus. What kind of life would he have had on drugs all his life, with possible liver and brain damage from the seizures and the meds.

I can still hear Lexussnoring, farting and scratching, I still expect him to jump up when I get up and greet me with the new day. I'll never forget his unconditional love and affection that he lavished on me all his life. Good Dog!!!